SCOPUS

HU in the Community
Maayan
Bamidbar:
Meeting with Intissar allowed
“
me to improve my ability to
communicate in a language that is
spoken in my country but of which
my surroundings rarely approves...
Now I'm able to read signs,
understand occasional sentences,
and approach Arab speakers more
readily - thanks to this project.
The smiles I get in response are
so valuable that I can't deny the
program's impact!
”
Shay
A Reciprocal
Tutoring
Program
Maayan Bamidbar (trans. A Wellspring in the
Desert) is a reciprocal tutoring program rooted in
the idea that both Jewish and Arab students need
help, and both have something to offer – all while
building a friendship outside of one’s ordinary
social circle.
Ayelet is more than a tutor,
“
she's become a true friend.
Through her, I've come to view
the Jewish world differently,
and look forward to having
Jewish friends.
Raghad
”
Jewish-Arab pairs meet for 2-3 hours a week, during
which the Arab student receives help with Hebrew,
academic writing, and often math and English. The
latter half is spent teaching the Jewish student spoken
Arabic.
Operating within the Hebrew University since 2018,
the program’s impact is evident. Increasingly, Jewish
and Arab students hang out on campus together –
studying, eating, and schmoozing between classes.
Bridging the Secular-
Religious Divide:
Beliba Homa
Netanel grew up in an ultra-Orthodox family and
studied at religious institutions. He had always been
curious and knew he’d eventually enter academia.
After completing an academic preparatory program,
he began studying law and East Asian studies at the
Hebrew University.
Erez grew up in the secular world. He went to a scienceoriented
high school, served in the IDF, and traveled
the world before deciding to pursue a degree in the
Hebrew University’s political science, philosophy, and
economics (PPE) program.
“
Netanel taught me how special
and simple it can be to meet a
complete stranger … The most
rewarding aspect of this program
was meeting friends whom I
otherwise wouldn’t have met.
Erez
”
Netanel and Erez met through Beliba Homa (trans.
A Wall in Its Midst), which brings together ultra-
Orthodox and secular students for mutual enrichment.
The ultra-Orthodox student receives much needed
academic assistance and support, while the secular
student has the opportunity to connect with someone
from a different background.
Netanel felt that Erez was the first student to look
beyond his external appearance and connect with him
as a fellow human – free of stereotypes and prejudices.
Erez came to recognize what he had in common
with Netanel, which the media downplays in favor
of accentuating differences. He valued the direct
encounter with an ultra-Orthodox student, while
appreciating the personal and social sacrifices that
Netanel made when he chose university studies.
Photo by Yuval Pan
“
This program has enriched
me significantly, both in terms
of encountering a world very
different from my own, and in
terms of making me examine and
refine my own beliefs.
Netanel
”
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| 2020-2021 | 2020-2021 27